!Que viva la musica! Timeless classics and a classy lady

Latin Beat Magazine, April, 2007 by Chico Alvarez Peraza

   Que viva, que viva la música criolla
   Pero qué viva, qué viva la música criolla

   La música es el arte de expresar con emoción
   La música es el arte de expresar con emoción
   Los sentimientos sinceros del corazón

   Por eso digo con gran orgullo
   Pero qué viva la música ...

Reprinted by permission

Every Saturday afternoon since 1983, this Roberto Rodríguez composition has served as the opening theme for one of the East Coast's longest running latin radio shows. Within minutes of Ray Barretto's conga drum introduction, the voices of Adalberto Santiago and Roberto Rodríguez appear, defining the mood for the next three hours. The soft-spoken voice of VICKI SOLA also appears, showering the metropolitan area with quality Latín American music, alternating many a timeless classic with contemporary new releases. More often than not, she is heard showcasing the work of self-sustained artists who are rarely heard on commercial radio stations. Her celebrated program "QUE VIVA LA MUSICA" airs every Saturday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, over non-commercial, community-sponsored WFDU-FM, located at 89.1 on the dial, broadcasting out of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

In February of 2007, Vicki Solá celebrated her 25th year as on-air hostess and producer of this very popular show, now heard around the world at www.wfdu.fm.

It's pretty obvious that Vicki takes personal pleasure in conducting live interviews with musicians, writers and producers who are active in the arts. She considers it her mission to educate and inform her audience, enriching their lives musical]y. This not only makes the show more interesting but it also serves to preserve the music intact for future generations. In a very modest way, Vicki pays homage not only to the architects of the music, but also to many up and coming artists as well. Giving the newcomers equal air time affords them the opportunity to expose their talent to a much wider public.

Vicki Solá was born of Puerto Rican and Russian Jewish-Norwegian parents, and has lived in the Teaneck, New Jersey area most of her life. She is listed in the "Encyclopedia of Latin American Music in New York" (Pillar Publications) and her show was recently mentioned by composer Jimmy Webb in his book "Tunesmith" (Hyperion). In recognition of her exceptional ability as a communicator, her accomplishments in the field of broadcasting and her service to the Hispanic-American community, she was selected as "Outstanding Young Woman of America" by that organization. In addition, she has received a proclamation from New York senator David Rosado and is a recipient of the International Latin Music Hall of Fame special recognition award (2001).

Vicki is also an author, and has been writing about music and the arts since the early nineteen eighties. Her essays have appeared in various trade periodicals with both local and international circulation. Her insight into the workings of the Latin Music industry have been published by "Impacto Magazine" and "Qué Pasa.". Since 1998, Vicki has been chronicling the metropolitan scene for "Latín Beat Magazine", which features her monthly column " A Bite From the Apple". They also list her personal picks of New York City's top 20 "Hit Parades," as well as other feature articles by her.

Vicki majored in English and Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and served as foreign columnist for the internationally circulated "Latín London Magazine." Since 1996, she has been a contributing editor and columnist for the "Descarga" newsletter and catalog, considered by many to be the "Bible" of the the Latin Music industry, with numerous interviews, news items and ah enormous listing of available CDs, videos and music instruction books.

Vicki Solá is listed in the "Who's Who in the World," "Who's Who in America" and "Who's Who of American Women." By special invitation, she has served twice as a judge in the final rounds of the AFIM Indie Awards (Association for Independent Music), evaluating and rating recordings in the recently added Latin Music category.

In 1999, she was invited by the Smithsonian Institution to serve as an advisor to their planning committee, organized by the Smithsonian's America's Jazz heritage. She assisted in the planning of an exhibition for the Smithsonian Institution's Traveling Exhibition Service and America's Jazz Heritage, entitled "Latin Jazz: La Combinación Perfecta." Here she was instrumental in selecting the recordings included on the CD on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, released in conjunction with the exhibition of the same name.

In the exhibition's interactive media module, Vicki's voice can be heard along with that of the late Tito Puente, narrating a segment on the Cuban mambo. The exhibition opened in Washington, D.C. on October 19, 2002.

Vicki is currently working on a comedy-fantasy novel and lives in Teaneck, New Jersey with her son Frank.